Dearly Departed
by Katraa
Summary: His life was going so well. He had just begun a relationship with the love of his life and was finally getting things right. So why would he stage his own death and leave his boyfriend in shambles all in exchange for helping crack a scandal? :rikusora:
1. prologue

okay, kill me. new story. again. but i love the plot of this one. sorry if the prologue is confusing and all over the place. it is meant to be. many things will be explained next chapter. just deal with this short prologue, mmkay? i promise you all a long first chapter if you review :D pretty please?

**warnings**; vile language, suggestive themes, sexual content. anything you can think of.  
**pairings**; rikusora (others throughout story)  
**genre; **angst / romance 

* * *

—xx **D**early **D**eparted xx—  
**the prologue**

_I tried so hard to not walk away  
__And when things don't go my way  
__I'll still carry on and on just the same  
e__I've always been strong  
__But can't make this happen  
__'Cause I need to breathe, I want to breathe you in  
__The fear of becoming  
__I'm so tired of running  
__'Cause I need to breathe, I want to breath you in  
__I want to breathe you in  
__I'm going in, so cover me  
__Your compass will, help me turn the page  
__The laughing stock, I'll never be  
__Because I won't let them take me_

His arm carefully hooked around his boyfriend's petit shoulders. Fingers gracefully reached up and brushed brown bangs behind the boy's ear. A look of utter affection was plastered on the owner of the finger's face. Aquamarine eyes stared affectionately at the brunet who appeared to be blushing faintly. Said brunet male's shoulders visibly stiffened, as if embarrassed by the gentle touch. His tanned cheeks continued to grow in color as the silver haired male continued caressing the younger's cheek repeatedly. A steady rhythm. Any on-lookers would have considered the exchange of affection the beginning stages of a loving relationship. And, in actuality, it was.

"Want me to get you a soda or something?" Riku wondered as he brushed the pads of his thin fingers along the curve of Sora's cheek. "The concert is going to be long and it's best if I get it now before it starts. You know, so I can find my way back to our seats without being trampled."

"I'm fine," Sora reassured his boyfriend. He offered a radiant smile and shifted a bit in his stadium seat. After a moment of moving, he settled comfortably against the taller, his side pressed contentedly against Riku. He sighed in relaxation as his vibrant blue eyes temporarily fluttered shut. God. It was so peaceful.

"All right," Riku chuckled into his boyfriend's ear. His arms fell from Sora's shoulders and relocated around the boy's waist, holding him tight against him. Thanks heavens the armrests in these places were able to be moved. "This okay?" he wondered, his pale hands resting on each other on Sora's stomach.

"Yeah," Sora answered quietly, his head resting against the other's chest. "You're like a comfortable chair."

"Thanks," laughed the silveret as he tightened his hold around Sora. "Guess what?"

"Hm…what?" Sora wondered as his eyes opened once again. Blue hues flickered about the filling arena. People were slowly beginning to fill the tiers and floor. He had never been to an actual concert before so it was quite the adventure.

"Today will be a week," whispered Riku as he pressed a tender kiss to his boyfriend's head. His own green eyes closed. "I've never been this happy, ever," he admitted quietly into the spikes of brown hair that adorned Sora's head.

"Me either," the brunet replied truthfully. "We should have gotten together sooner."

"I know," said Riku as he smiled into Sora's hair, inhaling the beautiful scent. "I've wanted to hold you for _so_ long, Sora," he made known as he brushed his lips for a second time upon Sora's head. "This feels so surreal."

"Heh," giggled the brunet as he nestled back into Riku's grasp. "Well, this is real."

"Which makes it even better," Sora pointed out as he relaxed a bit more. He could vaguely hear the beating of Riku's heart begin him. Thump. Thump. The action made him smile as he shyly placed his own hand upon the silveret's that rested upon his stomach.

Riku blinked down in surprise. A smile at once etched onto his face in response. Carefully, Riku took Sora's hand and interlaced their fingers. "Sora?" asked the silveret as he breathed evenly into the brunet's ear.

"Yeah?" asked Sora as he felt heat rise to his cheeks from their adjoined appendages. It felt so right. It felt so _amazing_. Years of crushing had finally come to a wonderful conclusion.

To be honest, Sora wasn't quite sure how they ended up together. Riku just randomly showed up at his house a week ago and asked to come in. The brunet welcomed him in and Riku graciously took the offer. They talked for awhile—about life, about past relationships, about high school, about their nearing college freshman year, about love, about politics, about anything that passed their minds. Somehow they got on the subject of why they had never decided to date one another. Both were openly gay and yet they had never even dared to ask one another on a date. Sora hadn't answered right away, too shy to admit that he truly did like his best friend in more ways than one. When Sora didn't supply Riku with an answer, the silveret had leaned over and kissed him. They kissed for ten minutes, at least, and then parted ways for the night, engaging in another five minute kiss. Truly, it was the best night of the brunet's life. The confession was simple and _pure_. There were no words to explain it that could justify the emotions that had leaked from it. Sora knew that it truly was love—a new love that was taking form after so many years.

"Wanna move in with me?" Riku finally questioned as he gave a tender squeeze to their intertwined hands.

Sora flushed a dark crimson. He had considered moving in with Riku many times before, but never when they were intimately close. A shiver slipped down Sora's spine as he laughed nervously. Moving in meant so many things. "Could you deal with me twenty-four seven?" asked the brunet with a soft laugh.

"I bet I could," Riku answered promptly. "I would love to be with you every single waking moment. I'm sorry if that sounds stalkerish."

"Not at all. It's sweet," Sora reasoned, shaking his head. The brunet inhaled and then exhaled deeply. "I'd love to…"

"Good," Riku said and hugged Sora impossibly tighter. "I can't wait. We can move your things in this weekend before classes start. This will be the best Christmas ever…"

"Sounds good to me…" Sora breathed out happily. He sighed but then paused. "Hey…I changed my mind. Can you go get us a soda? I'm kinda thirsty."

"Sure," Riku laughed.

"Thank you!" cooed Sora as he beamed happily.

"No problem," Riku said as he reluctantly let go of Sora's hand. He untangled his arms from around his boyfriend and stood. Before he could exit the isle to head to the concession stand, Sora had looped his arms, fumbling all the while, around Riku's neck. The brunet leaned up and somehow managed to tug Riku's upper torso down in the process. Their lips met in a messy, shy, and emotional kiss. It lingered on both of their lips. Incoherent words were exchanged as the kiss caused Sora's toes to curl. Those beautiful, perfect lips against his own, pliable ones. His heart fluttered and he clung possessively to Riku, wanting nothing more than to be one soul with _his_ Riku.

"I'll be back shortly," Riku stated softly against Sora's lips as he withdrew his. Their lips separated, emitting a wet popping noise. Both males blushed vehemently at the sound.

"All right, you better," Sora laughed as he brushed his hand along Riku's cheek before finally dropping it. "Remember, Pepsi! Not Coke!"

"I will!" Riku called back, exiting the isle and heading up the stairs, as he shot his boyfriend a wink over his shoulder.

**xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx**

Riku was fiddling with getting the straw into the soda when his cell-phone rang. Usually he ignored the thing when he was with Sora (regardless of whether or not they were dating) because really, no one was more important to him that the brunet. No one ever could be. However, when he noticed the number scrolled across the screen of the contraption he knew it was urgent. With a sigh, the silveret placed the soda on the ground and leaned back up against the wall. He answered curtly, wanting to get back to holding his boyfriend. Though, thoughts began to plunder his mind. Over and over they hit him, making him feel weak and sick to his stomach. He was doing a horrible thing. No, a _terrible_ thing. It needed to be stopped. Wearily, Riku murmured his response into the phone and closed it. Even Riku knew that with that answered call he had sealed his and Sora's future. He knew what he had to do and just how to do it.

Wanting nothing more than to just _die, _Riku lingered near the entrance to the stadium. He could hear the band coming on and countless screams. One of them was probably Sora's, he concluded. The silveret lowered his gaze and stared dejectedly at the soda. He wouldn't have a better time than this to slip away. Riku's heart nearly broke. He had foolishly got into this relationship with Sora, knowing _full_ well the consequences and what could—and did—happen.

"Fuck life," growled the teen as he kicked the soda over. A security guard barked at him but he stormed past, looking suddenly enraged, in contradiction to his tranquil state moments prior with Sora.

Riku shoved his phone into his pocket and walked past the countless vendors to the glass doors that provided an exit to the massive building. As the band played on, Riku's heart continued to break as the cool, New York City air greeted his face. The youth winced at the familiar scent that lingered in it. It was fear. His own fear.

He looked drearily up and down the crowded street outside the concert-hall. His stomach churned as he pushed his way into the crowd. It was around eight and the city was ghostly illuminated. He didn't care, though, he had a job to do. His heart continued to beat frantically, growing louder and faster with each step he took. Each step he took closer to the hardest decision of his life.

The memories pounded the youth's mind over and over. Countless times Riku had to pause in his walk and hold his head in a pathetic attempt to stop the migraine that was surfacing. The nippy breeze wiped by him, dislodging his silver hair. The strands blew into his face as he irritably swatted them away. Considering his task at hand, and the certain results, Riku wasn't in the mood for anything.

Sora was his light—his love. To do this to him felt like the cruelest thing imaginable. God, Sora was his best friend, for ten _fucking_ years and he had no idea the pain and guilt Riku felt. Sora had no idea and he deserved to. But there was no going back now. Riku ignored the vibrating of his phone, knowing full well it was either _him_ or Sora. Either way, he wasn't in the right state of heart to dare to answer it.

But the guilt got to Riku as he jostled through the people towards the quieter part of the city. The part where it was most residential and rundown. Once there, Riku dug into his jacket pocket and removed his phone. With fumbling, shaky hands, he dialed the number to Sora's apartment. The answering machine picked up and it took everything Riku had not to break down in tears. He never cried but he _wanted_ to right now.

The cold wind bit at him as he pulled out a lighter. His body shook greatly as he lit the flame, waiting for the beep to begin his message.

"H-hey, babe," Riku began, his voice trembling. "I didn't know you changed your message…" Click. The fire burned and grew in size as he held it weakly in his clutches. No one was on this street except him. No witnesses. "I…Sora, I'm sorry for leaving you tonight. B-but, babe, by the time you get this message," he held back a sob, trying to sound strong, "I'll be dead already. I love you so much, Sora. Y-you can have my apartment. H-have a good Christmas…"

He tossed the lighter onto the building along with his jacket and phone, watching it become a blaze of fire. He disappeared into the night, his heart aching and his mind numb. They'd do the rest, he told himself. They'll do the rest.

He made the hardest decision of his life—he chose to let Sora go.

**xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx**


	2. first night

—xx **D**early **D**eparted xx—  
**the first night of many**

Riku threw his empty Pepsi can at the window, watching in sheer disappointment at its resistance to break. His tear-drenched aquamarine eyes screwed themselves shut in frustration as he dropped the can, his hands still forming fists despite the loss of metal. His body trembled as he stood there, his heart throbbing in his throat. Liquid pain shot up and down his veins as he struggled to remain standing—his legs felt wobbly, his mind felt numb, but more importantly his heart felt _broken_. Struggling to breathe, Riku groped around the hallway for the wall. His hand snagged on an exposed nail and he was vaguely aware of the piercing it did to his tender skin. As long as it didn't embed itself there or go through his hand he didn't much care. The pain could never compare to the pain of losing Sora.

The hallway seemed to be getting smaller and smaller as he staggered down it. His footing was ill-aimed and countless times he stumbled to the ground, his face meeting the old, dirt-covered carpet. He groaned as he weakly pushed himself up, barely having the will to do even that anymore. Exhausted eyes scanned the dreary hallway. Five more feet, he told himself as he pushed himself onto his feet once more. His arms flew out to the walls and he carried himself miserably down the hallway. Five more feet and he was home free.

However, when he did make it to the door at the end of the grotesque hallway he felt his body lean against it as anguish flooded out of his body like a raging waterfall. His knuckles slammed against the door and he felt the contents of his stomach churn lucidly. His heartbeat increased and all he could do was stand there, immobile, willing to sick feeling to go away. It wasn't fair. None of this was. Fingers dug at the door, as if doing such would take away the pain _he_ felt and pass it to another inanimate object. If only life were that simple.

There was no home anymore. No more night outs with Sora, no more night ins…no more sitting by the television with hot chocolate, laughing at all the cliché movies and TV shows, no more random pool excursions, no more random kisses that were randomly given, but mostly, no more Sora. Riku's stomach ached at the mere thought of never being able to see the boy again. He would never see his smile again, hear his laugh, touch his face, kiss his lips…

"What the fuck did I just do?" Riku demanded of himself as he gripped the door handle. He gave it a jiggle and stopped himself from opening the door. He wasn't ready to enter it yet. He wasn't ready to give his past life up. Weakly, his gaze lifted from the floor and peered over his shoulder. No one would ever find them here. No one would realize what was happening. This place was labeled abandoned and no came around here…this was simply the best place to hold such a hideout.

After a moment of mustering up the threads of courage he had, Riku wearily pushed the door open. At once a rush of cold air greeted his raw face—the result of crying, of course. A large lump of nerves resided in the central area of his throat as he closed the old door behind him. Aquamarine hues glanced wearily around the expansive room that was in the heart of the rundown building. Computers and desks lined three of the four walls. The room, basically, was the size of a large warehouse basement. It was dimly lit and seemed to shelter over fifty people who were currently working frantically on things that one could never begin to understand. There was constant chatter throughout the room, giving the otherwise cold appearance a soft warmness. Overall, it appeared to be more of a large research lab than a basement.

"Riku?"

The silveret feebly looked to his right. A pretty blonde girl was approaching him with a handful of manila folders. Her big, crystal blue eyes observed her friend. At once, the folders dropped from her skinny arms and onto the cold floor. Her mouth opened but then fell shut, uncertain what to say. Just by looking at the male she knew exactly what had transpired. "You didn't…." she whispered, her voice strained and overall startled.

"I don't want to talk about it," informed Riku as he looked away from her glance. His heart continued beating wildly in his heart. Too many thoughts were leaking in and out of his brain to possibly focus on his current conversation with the blonde female.

"Riku…" she sighed and kneeled down, hurrying to recollect the things she had dropped. Wearily, her gaze flickered up towards Riku often, as if making sure that he was all right. "You've been crying, haven't you?" she asked in a small whisper, piling the folders on top of one another as she tried not to let her white dress hit the floor and become dirty.

"It doesn't matter," Riku snapped through pursed lips. "It's over now. It doesn't matter anymore."

"You loved him, though," the blonde pointed out as she scooped the folders into her arms and stood. She was a considerable amount shorter than the silveret she stood beside. "How can you give him up that easily?... I'm sure he would have understood. He's your best friend, after all, isn't he?"

"Damnit, Naminé!" Riku harshly looked to her, his sea green eyes as hard as uncut diamonds. "I'd rather have him go through the pain of thinking I'm dead than the pain of … _this_." He gestured around himself and began shaking, his entire body trembling to the core. "I don't want him to be put into danger, Naminé. If everyone thinks I'm _dead_ he'll be safe. No one will use him as bait."

Naminé shrunk back a bit, lowering his youthful gaze. "I'm sure it'll hurt him more knowing you're dead than being put in danger. But who am I to tell you how to run your life?..."

"I don't want to talk about this, Naminé," Riku reiterated and looked away sharply. "Where's my dad?"

"…Talking to Leon," Naminé sighed and looked away, not wanting to meet her friend's harsh glare. "They're discussing their next plan. They said for me to tell you that you're needed over there." She lowered her gaze this time. "Riku?"

"Hm?" He was about to walk away and head off to find his father when her words caught him off guard. He glanced back over his shoulder and stared at her with a look mixed between frustration and pure agony.

"It's…nothing," she said, shaking her head dismissively. Her gaze flickered away from the tall male as she walked away, headed back to her station. She quickly left Riku' side, wanting to get back to work and end the awkward conversation. When Riku was suffering from pain or anything of the sort, he wasn't someone anyone desired to speak with. And now considering the poor guy just lost the love of his life _and_ best friend, Naminé knew he wasn't in the mood for civil conversation, no matter how trite the concept seemed.

Riku sighed heavily and made his way across the room. In the far left-hand corner resided his father and a tall, brown haired man. Surprisingly, the man and his father were a few inches taller than Riku, which really was saying something considering Riku was tall to begin with. The silveret quietly walked over, hands shoved in his jack pockets to keep them from visibly shaking. His aquamarine eyes scanned over the computer screen both males were staring so intently at. Some sort of genetic code was scribbled across the screen next to a complicated strand of DNA that Riku simply did not understand.

"You wanted to see me?" Riku questioned as he leaned on the balls of his feet, peering over his father's right shoulder.

The tall man with silver hair paused his typing and peered out of the corner of his eye at his son. "You're late," commented the taller man with a gruff tone. His gaze returned to the screen as he observed the double-helix with intense concentration.

"Faking your own death can do that," he muttered, watching his father with a frown.

"You finally did it?" asked the other man, momentarily freezing the screen. He spun around in the chair and eyed his son for a long moment.

"Yeah…" Riku averted his gaze.

"Riku, you know you didn't have to. The government has nothing on you. Your name isn't even on their lists. You—," began the man stubbornly as he pushed his glasses further up his nose. His eyebrows knitted together in confusion as he eyed his son. Why would he do such a thing?"Because, dad, they're going to figure out sooner or later who I am and that I'm your son and still alive. They're going to realize my real name is Riku and…and Sora would have figured out that I was using a fake name for practically everything and just…he would have gotten involved. I want to help…and if the world thinks I'm dead, I can," Riku explained breathlessly, the pain gnawing at his heart like a chew toy.

"So you did it for the boy," his father decided as he folded his arms to his chest. He didn't bother arguing with his son's motives.

"Yeah," murmured Riku as he looked to Leon and then to his father. "Now, can we please drop it? It's over…"

"All right. I'm going to skip over the thousand questions I just thought of regarding how you did it and if you staged it well enough. Instead, I'm going to ask you just what you're willing to do to help us," the silver haired male stated, glancing back over at the screen with almost a defeated look on his face.

"Anything," Riku echoed. "I just destroyed my entire life. What _won't_ I do now?"

"Good point," Leon murmured who had been, up until this moment, silent.

"You're stepping into dangerous territory, Riku," his father continued uneasily, ignoring his partner's comment. "The theories we come up with…the things we're trying to discover…they're enough to have us slaughtered."

"I know," remarked Riku apathetically at once. "I'm already 'dead', I don't care."

"You've given a lot of thought to this," noted his father with a rather surprised look as he gestured to Leon to print something out. The brunet turned to the computer to do such.

"I have," agreed Riku with a sad smile. He looked away, knowing that he'd never be able to speak to Sora again. It took everything the teen had not to break down in silent tears right there.

"All right then," his father sighed, taking the papers that flew off the printer due to Leon's request. He handed them to his son. "This'll explain most of our current situation." He fished into his pocket for a pair of keys. "Take these. It's my spare apartment. It's under a pseudonym so it's completely safe. Spend the night there and read those over." Riku nodded sadly, the papers feeling lifeless in his hands—just like himself.

"Thank you," whispered Riku weakly as he gulped uneasily.

"Have a goodnight," his father offered with a weak smile.

"Yeah Dad, you too," answered the tired teen as he looked away, holding the papers limply in his hands as his father slipped the address to the apartment on top along with a new cell phone, guessing that Riku had thrown his old away.

It was the beginning of a new, much harder life. A life without _Sora_.

**xxxxxxxxxx**

Sora returned home late that night. The brunet yawned and locked his apartment door behind him, groggily rubbing his eyes as bags formed beneath them. He kicked off his shoes and removed his jacket, placing them in their proper places before stretching his arms above his head. His mind was racing—why had Riku left? Had he gotten an emergency call from his mother? The brunet shook his head and walked across the room, headed into his kitchen. It didn't matter, with Riku, there was always a reason. There was no point in being upset with the silveret because he just _knew_ that Riku wouldn't leave him stranded somewhere without a mighty important reason.

The teenager slipped into his kitchen, his white socks slipping across the floor. A smile danced onto his face as he made his way to the cabinets. Come this time next weekend he would be in _Riku's_ house. He'd be in _Riku's_ kitchen seeking late night snacks. Oh, and he'd be sleeping beside _Riku_ every single night. They'd kiss…they'd test their boundaries…a hot blush appeared on Sora's face as his hand rested on the doorknob to the cabinet. He could just see it now…

Riku would pin him to the bed, kiss him breathless, run his hands along his body, causing him to squirm pleasurably…they'd kiss a bit more, whisper words of unspoken devotion that they hadn't dared to say before, and then they'd make love for countless hours. The blush grew on Sora's face at the mere thought of such things. His throat went dry and he yanked the cabinet open, removing the box of cereal.

"Keep the thoughts PG, Sora," he told himself as he set the cereal box onto the counter. He closed the cabinet behind himself and sauntered over to the fridge for milk. He retrieved the cold beverage and brought everything he needed, including a bowl, over to the small kitchen table. This would be the last weekend he snacked at this stupid old table. The thought sent shivers up Sora's back.

Sora set the bowl of newly poured cereal and milk onto the table and groped for his phone. Without even thinking about it, he dialed his boyfriend's number. When he got the answering machine to the other's cell phone, he leaned back in the kitchen chair and awaited the beep.

"Hey…" he began, a shy blush on his cheeks. "Uhm, where did you go during the concert? I got worried…uhm…give me a call in the morning, mmkay? Have a good night. Sweet dreams…" He paused before adding in a hurried, "Ithinkiloveyou," that barely even sounded like what it meant.

Sora quickly hung up and stared across the kitchen, his heart beating rapidly and his cheeks flushed. Well, of course he cared about Riku, but love? The brunet thought about the night prior and came to the conclusion that he was falling deeply, madly, ultimately in love with his boyfriend. He had been for countless years. A smile appeared on Sora's lips at the mere idea of Riku whispering those words into his ear…holding him close…kissing him again. His toes curled and he looked off to the right, embarrassed yet again.

"I'm such a sap," he decided with a laugh, shaking his head. "An emotional sap," he added on as he poked the cereal with a spoon, scooping up the objects. "Then again, I'm only this way towards Riku…" He stuffed his mouth with the snack and began chewing and thinking. It was true…Riku was the only person who saw the softer, submissive side of him. Everyone saw the determined, cheery, sharp side.

Out of the corner of his eye, Sora noticed a red digit flashing on his answering machine. Curiously, he reached over and pressed the button, the distance only being a few feet. Sora settled back into his chair comfortably and resumed eating. It was probably Riku apologizing for leaving him there. Yeah, he probably was going to say something adorable at the end that only Riku could get away with saying that would keep Sora up all night blushing and thinking and oh gods…

"H-hey, babe."

Sora lifted his gaze once more, staring uneasily at the machine. Riku sounded flustered, upset. The brunet stared nervously at the black machine and set down his spoon, listening all the while.

"I didn't know you changed your message."

Sora laughed softly at this under his breath. He often changed his messages and Riku usually had a quirky remark each time. However, this one wasn't witty or clever at all. In fact, it sounded a bit…mortified?

"I…Sora, I'm sorry for leaving you tonight. B-but, babe, by the time you get this message, I'll be dead already. I love you so much, Sora. Y-you can have my apartment. H-have a good Christmas…"

Sora, who had picked up his spoon moments prior and had begun eating once more, dropped it to the floor in horror. His heart clenched and he stared in disbelief at the machine as the message ended.

_To hear this message again press one.__ To delete this message, press two. To—_

He stopped listening after that as his heart stopped.

A good Christmas?...

As if.

**xxxxxxxxxx**

Riku slammed the door to his new apartment shut. His body shook and the moment he entered his 'new home', he collapsed against the door. His eyes screwed shut painfully as he sat there on his ass, dejected and _alone_. His heart ached as his fingers clutched tightly at the papers, wrinkling them in the process. Mind numbing, he began racing through the night's events over and over. Kissing Sora, lying to Sora, burning the house, planting the evidence to make it look like an accident and that he was truly dead, his dad's 'group' planting other evidence to make _sure_ that when the cops _did_ find him…they would conclude it was him. He had done his part by calling Sora and starting the whole entire thing.

"I hate this," Riku whispered excruciatingly, his head flat against the wall. He stared dismally up at the ceiling. "I hate this so fucking much," he decided.

His father was one of those revolutionaries you often hear about for a short period of time but never really know what they're doing exactly. His father's life was dedicated to discovering safely guarded governmental secrets. Those involving popular things like Area 51, hidden treasures throughout the land, Bigfoot, UFOs, and then the more discreet things, such as cures, chemical trails left by planes, government spy devices placed in homes without any knowledge…and just so much more. The range was endless.

Riku's father had basically dug a hole and buried himself in it by tampering into governmental issues. The first thing he had done was touch base upon the mysteries of the chemical trails. That…didn't end so well. Not only had his father had to go into hiding do to the _other_ research he was doing but he had to stage his own death as well. It seemed to run in the family.

The group of ten who worked alongside Riku's father was an underground sort of operation. They dedicated their lives to bettering the lives of those around them. And Riku, being the son of such a man was stuck in an unbelievably hard situation.

And now he just lost the most important thing in his entire life to this _stupid_ conspiracy theory group _thing_.

"Sora…" he whispered weakly as he cradled his head in his hands, feeling the need to be sick. Sora's smile, Sora's laugh, everything about the beautiful brunet haunted him. He had only been gone five hours and already he was missing him more than words could express. He wondered how bad it would be after a week, a month, a year? Could he even survive without Sora?

Uneasily, Riku fished for the new phone his father had given him. Numbly, he dialed the number to his old voicemail, praying with everything he had that Sora had left him something, _anything_. His suspicions were confirmed.

"Hey…Uhm, where did you go during the concert? I got worried…uhm…give me a call in the morning, mmkay? Have a good night. Sweet dreams…" Pause. "Ithinkiloveyou." Click.

Riku dropped the phone. Sora…Sora _loved_ him?... He hadn't gotten the message? Riku gulped down the urge to cry and threw the stack of papers across the room. "I fucking _hate_ this!" he screamed to no one in particular as his mind began throbbing uncontrollably, Sora's words bouncing around in his head.

He had just ended _love_ over his father's job. _Love_. Could it possibly get any worse?

**xxxxxxxxxx**

Sora locked himself up in his bedroom, calling Riku's house number and cell a thousand times. When his phone battery finally died he gave up for the night. Riku wouldn't die. Riku _couldn't_ die. And how would he? How would he know he would be dead soon? Was someone going to kill him? Was he going to commit suicide? Questions raced through Sora and he felt like puking but instead sat on his bed, a shivering mess. He denied what Riku said and breathed through his nose, trying to keep it together. Riku wouldn't do that…maybe he was lying. Maybe it was an early April Fool's joke. Maybe…

But Riku loved him…he _loved_ him. "Riku…"

Sora grabbed for the dead phone and turned it on, growling in frustration as it refused to turn on once more. He threw it across the room and folded his arms to his chest in defeat.

Riku had always been his best friend for as long as Sora could remember. He was always there to wipe away his tears, to help him through his breakups; to hold him when he was weak…and lately, being in a relationship with the silveret seemed like the greatest thing in his entire life. He _loved_ kissing Riku. He _loved_ being close the other. So much that it nearly tore his heart apart to know Riku would _joke_ about being dead.

Sora wouldn't allow the idea of Riku actually being _dead_ to enter his mind, just yet. There was no proof. Riku would call him tomorrow and say that it was just a sick joke. Sora's breathing hitched as he clung to his blankets a bit possessively. He was going to kick Riku's ass for joking around about something this serious.

He could still feel that kiss from earlier and god, how he wished for another.

He wouldn't cry, not just yet.

He didn't know that the love of his life had just ended oh so brutally.

**xxxxxxxxxx**

Riku fell asleep that night, clutching a newly taken picture of him and Sora kissing, close. His mind was restless and he was surprised that he actually felt tired. His body was on overdrive and all the changes that were taking place had finally caught up with him. There would be no more lying to Sora about his father's 'death', there would be no more looking at his mother with guilt, knowing that their beloved father wasn't dead, and there would certainly be no more speaking to his loved ones. All he had now were the ten members of his father's group.

Riku slept with the brunet close to him for the first and last time.


	3. first day

_all right, this is more so a plot developer than anything else. this is the last chapter before things start to pick up--involving riku's job and whatnot, I mean. hopefully the angst won't scare any of you away. yeah. the stories riku tells namine? they're in first person. later on sora's going to tell her stories as well...so there will be rikusora memories throughout, just to keep you guys alive :D please leave a review with your thoughts._

* * *

—xx **D**early **D**eparted xx—  
**the first day of many**

Riku entered the underground base with a throbbing headache the next morning. It was a cold and rainy day. The weather seemed to reflect his mood. If he had been in better spirits, he probably would have laughed at the irony. However, he did not. Dull eyes glanced around the quiet room. A few people were already here, beginning on their work for the day. Or research, whatever the hell they were going. Riku didn't even fully understand this whole entire thing. His father's people wanted to better the country and people's lives, right? Then why the hell couldn't they leave him out of it? But no. Everyone here had told him time in and time out that he was the son of one of the most wanted men in America and that he could never have a _real_, _safe_ life. The government was constantly asking for his father's whereabouts and it had only been one year prior that Riku realized his father was indeed alive.

"Riku, you look like shit," commented Tidus who had peered up from his computer to see who had entered the building. His sharp eyes surveyed the silveret before beckoning him over to his workspace. Tidus, he was one of his father's friends. The guy was only twenty one, or something, but his older brother had helped Riku's dad start this whole conspiracy. So, both Tidus and his older brother, Wakka, were in on this thing. It was a complicated web of people that Riku didn't bother trying to figure out.

"Couldn't sleep last night," Riku grumbled as he snagged a chair and brought it over to the desk. He slouched into it, propped his feet up on the desk beside Tidus', and closed his eyes. "Then again, I didn't expect myself to sleep much. I mean, I just completely destroyed my life."

"You get used to it," Tidus sighed as he saved his current work and turned to look at Riku. He pushed a piece of blonde hair out of his eyes and looked at Riku worriedly. The silveret was the complete opposite of his father. It was a bit unnerving to see someone so damn _miserable. _He looked like death itself.

"You _never_ get used to breaking your boyfriend's heart," Riku spat back, staring angrily at Tidus. _Especially when you've loved him for so many years…and you finally get to date him, and then a week later you have to stage your death and leave him. How fucked up can life get?_ Although he was resentful to the whole situation, he was a bit thankful to his staged death. At least the government wouldn't involve Sora. They wouldn't use him as a valuable asset to getting Riku to tell where his father was. Sora was safe now.

"The pain will dull," Tidus pointed out with a sigh. "Listen, when Wakka convinced me to work here, two years ago, I wasn't quite sure. I left my girlfriend of two years to do this. I had no choice, I had already dug a big enough whole to sleep in. The look of pain on Kairi's face…It'll never leave my memory. But the pain dulls after awhile."

"Do you love her?" Riku retorted, not wanting to believe that someone had gone through the same thing and now was _okay_ with it. No, he would never be _okay_ with leaving Sora. Not now and definitely not in the future. He had _loved_ him.

"I loved her, yes," Tidus answered simply. "Of course I loved Kairi."

"Then how you can say that the pain dulls? I can't believe that," Riku argued as he shook his head. "It may have gone away for you but it'll _never_ leave me. I'll learn to cope with it but it'll never lessen. I'll never stop loving him and the pain will stay."

Tidus frowned. "Love isn't a good thing in this group, Riku. It'll get in the way," he informed the silveret with a sad smile. "It's best to forget about the love you had. It'll make everything so much easier."

"You're heartless," Riku seethed as he pushed out of the plush wheely chair and onto his feet. He shot Tidus an annoyed, unjustified glare before storming away from the blond. He knew that Tidus was just trying to help but really, how could _anyone_ help fix a broken heart? It was nearly impossible. Everything could be broken, they say. But really, how do they know? Every heart is different and Riku refused to let his heart be fixed by anyone other than beautiful Sora.

Naminé noticed Riku's loud outburst and left the small kitchen. The blond wandered over to her friend who was currently leaning his body against a wall, breathing heavily. She frowned at the sight and placed a nervous hand onto his shoulder. Blue eyes stared sympathetically at Riku for a long while. "It's horrible, isn't it?" she began, a sad smile on her face. "Losing someone you love for the good of your country. It's like we're soldiers in another country, in a way."

"I didn't choose this," Riku argued, his body stiff as his hands rested flat against the wall. "My father chose this for me. I couldn't live a normal life. It was either rat my father out or have the government eventually use me as bait and throw me away from treason. Or kill me. Whichever."

Naminé's small hand held firmly to her friend's shoulder. "If there is anything I can do help you, Riku, don't be afraid to ask."

"Keep an eye on Sora," he begged, his voice coarse and demanding. "Watch over him. Befriend him. Keep him at a distant but keep him safe, Naminé. The government knows nothing about you…and even if they did, an acquaintance wouldn't be use to them. Please, Nam, watch over Sora and make sure he's happy…"

Naminé nodded. "I'll do my best, Riku," she reassured him, her pale hand massaging her friend's tense shoulder. "I'll help him through this, I promise you."

"Thank you," Riku sighed, his tense body relaxing the slightest.

"You're welcome," she answered kindly and gave the silveret a quick hug. "If you need _anything_, Tidus and I are here for you."

He paused, momentarily glancing up to Naminé. "You two are together, aren't you?" he decided. At least Tidus' dulled pain made sense now. The blond had moved on to someone new, Naminé. Riku bit on his lip and watched as Naminé shyly nodded.

"Please don't tell anyone," she whispered in a hushed voice. "I don't want anyone thinking anything bad about us. It isn't really wise that we're together but…I can't help it." She blushed and gave Riku a pathetic, defeated expression.

Instead of being selfish, Riku said, "I'm glad you're happy…"

"Thank you," she responded and rubbed Riku's back with a sad expression. "You'll be happy soon, Riku. I'm certain. Somehow, this all will work out and you'll have Sora back. I don't know how, but I promise it'll all work out in the end."

"How can you say that with such certainty?" Riku murmured, eying the blonde with a frown. How could Naminé be so strong? How could Tidus, and his dad, and every other member of this organization? How could they all be so strong and he be so _weak_? Was he just over emotional? Was this weakness temporary? God, Riku hadn't the slightest idea.

"Because, look at me. Look at Tidus…we've found happiness in the worst of situations. Somehow, things work out. That's why there's fate," she said, gently poking Riku in the chest. "Just don't lose faith, okay? Don't do anything rash that you'll regret."

"I already have," he sighed with a fake smile. "But I can't take it back."

She understood. "Here, come with me," she urged, reaching down and taking Riku's wrist. The taller gave her a confused expression which she simply answered with, "We're going to the kitchen. I want to talk for a bit. It'll make you feel better."

Riku shrugged and followed his friend. When they entered the quaint kitchen, Naminé grabbed a pair of chairs and brought them to the circular, wooden table in the midst of the small room. The lady took a seat and gestured for Riku to as well. Wearily, Riku did such. His entire body was sore from the lack of sleep and odd position he had laid in the night before. Sitting on something as hard as this wooden chair caused him to visibly wince. He said nothing for awhile, though, his hands resting on the tabletop motionlessly.

"While we wait for your father to get here," Naminé began, her skinny fingers weaving through her hair, "I want you to tell me the story."

"Story?" Riku gave her a questioning look.

"I want to know everything about you and Sora," she stated calmly, offering her friend a sad expression mixed with a reassuring one. "It'll help you cope with the pain, Riku. Plus, I want to know. I want to know about the boy I'm going to be befriending in the next few weeks." She motioned for him to start.

"If…you say so," he stated uneasily, shifting uncomfortably. "Well…I guess the first thing you'd want to know is how we meet…"

**xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx**

It was early spring. I was finally starting fifth grade and I couldn't be happier. My mother had told me that the year was going to be great and fly by faster than I thought it would. Honestly, it did. Before I even knew it, it was already spring and half the year had gone by. It seemed just like yesterday than I had begun the fifth grade. It was probably then when I realized that life wasn't going to stop just because I wanted it to. It was also then when I realized that I was slowly maturing and that things were changing. I had no idea how much they were going to change until they did.

My teacher was late that day to class. I remember glancing around the room with a look of confusion. The substitute appeared annoyed in her failed attempts to get us to do a multiplication worksheet. I wasn't paying attention. Ms. Maddy always arrived on time. To see her late caught me off guard. She still had not arrived and I became a bit worried. Of course, being late at the time seemed like a big deal. Nowadays, it is simply a part of life. Either way, I looked forward to seeing her bright, freckled face everyday at her desk.

It was around give minutes later that Ms. Maddy arrived. She…wasn't alone. I remember leaning forward in my seat when she came through the door with a boy my age in tow. His wild hair contrasted his soft, blue eyes that were nervously cast downward. All the other students were joyfully chattering as the substitute left the room. Ms. Maddy brought the thin boy over to the vacant desk beside me. She pushed her hair back and told me, "You wouldn't mind helping Sora with math until he catches up, right Riku?"

I looked from her jovial face to the boy beside me. He had taken a seat in the hard chair to my right and was quietly playing with his sleeve. I smiled. "No problem." I wasn't one to object to such simple requests at that young age. Although new kids were always an exciting topic in fifth grade, no one really paid much attention to the quiet boy beside me.

Ten minutes went by as the class began furiously working on the worksheets at last. It took ten minutes of sitting there blankly before Sora finally spoke up.

"I don't get this at all," he whispered, his voice soft and gentle.

I looked up from my work and glanced over to him. His face was stained red from embarrassment, to which he tried to hide with his brown bangs. I frowned. "You don't?" He shook his head disdainfully.

"Here," I offered, gesturing for him to come closer. Timidly, Sora did such. "You know basic multiplication, right?" Nod. "This is just… basically a new step. Here, the first one is 5 x 21, right? Well, do you know 5 x 2?"

"Well yeah, that's ten," Sora answered automatically, looking to me with a smile.

"All right. Ten. And what's five times one?"

"Five," he answered automatically.

"Okay. So considering you're multiplying five by twenty one, you just add a spot. The answer's one hundred five. See?" I pointed to the work. "There's the ten and there's the five." He grinned.

"Does it work all the time?"

"Well…" I wrote 6 x 18. "Try this one."

"Okay so…six times ten is… sixty, right?" Nod. "So…six times eight is…forty eight. So add those two together and…one hundred eight, right?" Another nod. "Oh, I get it now." He grinned, his smile lighting up the room. "Thanks!" He began working happily on his worksheet, humming a sweet tune under his breath. Once he understood it, I was surprised at how quickly he finished it. Hell, he finished it before I did, and I wasn't that bad at math.

"Your name is Riku, right?" Sora asked as he set down his pencil, glancing curiously over at me. Once I had finished, I looked up to him. I was at once captivated by his blue eyes. They were such a gorgeous shade of blue. "It's a nice name," he went on to say, smiling warmly at me.

"Thanks," I laughed. "You're…Sora, right?" He nodded jovially. "Nice name," I countered.

He giggled and shyly looked down. "Wanna…be friends?" he suggested, nervously kicking his feet back and forth underneath the desk.

"Sure," I answered heartily, grinning.

**xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx**

"I wish things were always that simple. Things like…basic math. Basic friendships. But then again, I'm pretty sure things build on to one another. Like…basic math builds up to complex math. You need the basics to accomplish the harder stuff. And that's the same with friends. You need to become friends and have that relationship before you can date. Before you can become close, I mean," Riku murmured, his hands lacing together on top of the table. Seconds later, he removed them and dragged one throughout his strands of silver.

"Riku…" Naminé looked at him with a sad smile. "I'm sorry you have to go through this. You don't deserve to lose someone that special to you."

"I know," he muttered, absently licking his lips. "It's just…I couldn't seem him hurt. Or kidnapped, or threatened. I just couldn't. I love him too much, Naminé. I always have. He's been the reason I've done so well in my life up until now. He's—"

"Glad to see you're here on time," interrupted a baritone voice, entering the room.

Riku closed his mouth at once and glanced over his shoulder. His father was standing erectly by the entrance to the kitchen, surveying the pair with interest. Riku stiffened a bit, not enjoying the idea that his father had walked in on such an intimate discussion. The only person he could ever trust in this place with such precious memories would be Naminé. He could trust her with his memories.

"Surprised I am myself," Riku murmured coldly.

"Something wrong?" questioned the tall man. His gaze remained glued to his son, never faltering. Concern never once entered the older's voice. It remained a constant, unwavering monotone.

Naminé stiffened in her seat uncomfortably. Blue eyes stared worriedly at the younger. Her lips fell into a pretty frown as she finally averted her gaze from her trouble friend. It was never polite to stare—especially when that object you are staring at is being heartlessly interjected by their father.

"Not like it would matter," Riku icily responded. His head remained hung low as he drilled holes into the table before him with sharp green hues. If only looks could kill.

The taller male appeared rigged for a brief moment. "You're not going to do well here if your mind is constantly on that boy," the man remarked, his voice as sharp as a newly made blade.

Riku visibly glowered. "When did you become so heartless?" If anything, he spoke the words more brokenly than angrily.

"We're not going to have this discussion again, Riku. You made your choice. Now either accept it or leave. I'm not going to have you moping around, lowering the spirits of my team. I need them working to the best of their abilities. Either lighten up or get out."

Riku fell silent. He wanted to scream until his voice became hoarse and overused. He desired to throw his hands up into the stiff air and simply give up. However, most of all, he wanted Sora back. None of these wants, though, would ever come into fruition. He had messed up. He had chosen this career over his life—over Sora. There was no going back. There was no where to turn any longer. This was now his _life. _He had screwed up.

"Riku?" Naminé whispered, voice quiet.

"I'm going to go find my desk," Riku announced, getting to his feet. He slid the kitchen chair back against the table and left the small room. He never once exchanged glances with his father or the pretty, helpful blonde.

"He'll come around…" his father decided, appearing tentative.

**xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx**

Sora was already having a horrible day. He had received no calls, texts, or messages from his boyfriend. Nothing at all. Fear grew in his chest as he paced uneasily at work, back and forth behind the counter. If he had known the painful truth, he probably would not have been at work. Regardless, the skinny brunet leaned against the counter he was standing behind, trying to calm himself down. That message Riku had left the night prior kept replaying itself over and over in Sora's head. _By the time you get this, I'll be dead_. Surely Riku had not meant that, right? Who called their beloved with such news? Who _knew_ they were going to die?

"It's just a joke," Sora murmured to himself, poking an empty grande cup. "Just a joke."

He wouldn't believe it, not just yet. How could he? Wearily, Sora dropped down behind the counter, onto his knees, out of sight. The day was slow and he figured no customers would be in for another hour. Quietly, the brunet pulled out his cell phone and dialed his boyfriend's cell, crossing his fingers and toes as he did such. Three rings greeted Sora's ear before the voicemail picked up and left him with a bitter taste in his mouth.

"H-hey, Riku. I know I probably sound like some creepy obsessive stalker, but I'm just really…worried. Why haven't you called me back? I mean…that message, I…was that some sort of…joke?...It was, right? Uhm, yeah. Call me…tonight, please? Yeah…" He trailed off, nervously toying with his work shirt. "Talk to you later. Bye."

If this was a joke, Sora really didn't have the heart to profess his love. He had in the message prior to this, uncertainly, and he wasn't going to do it a second time—not until he saw Riku face to face. If only Sora knew just how long that would be.

It was only day one and Sora's world was slowly deteriorating before him. If only he realized it ahead of time, he could have stopped it. If only he had been there to stop Riku from ruining his life. If only…someone had a time machine. If only he had been aware.

**xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx**

It was raining again. Riku pushed out of his apartment and hurried down the winding streets of the city. He wasn't accustomed to this side of town—his old apartment was on the other side. The outskirts of New York City never gave him a warm feeling. Sora lived close to the center of the city—his father was technically rich and wanted his son to be in the center of all the action, and therefore paid for the apartment until Sora decided to move away. Of course, the brunet had never decided to move until two nights ago, to move in with Riku. The silveret groaned at the idea. The farther away from Times Square he was, the farther away from Sora he truly was; mentally and physically. His heart ached as he trudged through the puddles on the sidewalks, ignoring the wet, squishy feeling his shoes now sported. It didn't matter to him—nothing mattered at this cruel moment in time. It was only the second night of being without Sora and he felt like it had been forever. He had never gone this _long_ without _Sora_. He needed something, _anything_.

Riku paused outside of a telephone booth. Such things were becoming outdated due to the uprise of cell phones, but he was suddenly glad for them. Wearily, Riku entered the booth and closed the door behind him. The pattering of rain on the old roof of the rusty booth made him wince. It was relaxing, true, but he could not find any pleasure in the noise. Not when it stirred up so many memories in his mind. He was more than likely suffering from Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, a minor case, but a case nonetheless. Staging his own death and never being able to see Sora again was catching up with him again and it made him feel wretched.

Shakily, Riku dug a quarter out of his wet jean pockets. Fumbling fingers inserted the coin into the slot and he dialed the number to his boyfriend's number. His heart froze as the phone began to ring. What would he say? What _could_ he say? Aquamarine eyes stared blankly ahead, out the foggy windows of the booth, and he felt his heart clench. On the fourth ring, someone picked up. The ringing ceased.

"Hello?" asked a strained, broken, _warm_, _familiar_ voice.

Riku held back a choked sob and allowed the voice to fill his senses. _Sora, oh god Sora…_ He stood there numbly, listening to the heavy breathing on the other side of the phone. Tears leaked from his eyes, down his cheeks, and onto the already wet floor of the booth. Water was leaking in and Riku hadn't even notice. He just stood there, immobile, listening to the way Sora breathed. It was so perfectly human. So _flawless_.

"Hello?" reiterated the brunet, sounding a bit peeved and nervous.

Riku's fingers stroked the rusty phone, down to the cord and onto the machine itself. This was as close as he'd ever be to Sora _again._ His heart throbbed violently and he felt his knees go weak. His right hand groped at the glass walls and he managed to remain standing. His vision became cloudy as he was once more plundered by memories. Untold secrets that had always been in his head. _I love you. I want you so much. I've loved you for years. I love you so much. I need you, Sora. I need you so badly_.

_"…_Whatever," mumbled Sora as he hung up the phone.

The line disconnected.

Riku released a held back sob and banged his fists against the machine. "No," he growled out verbally and began beating tirelessly on the stupid machine. "No," he repeated, chest heaving. "Sora, god please, no." He dropped the phone and watched dully as the annoying beeping of the dead line entered his ears. It could never bring him comfort. All these sounds—the rain, his father's voice, his partners, the phone, the cars rushing by—nothing could compare to the peace that Sora's voice brought him when he was near, whispering sweet, innocent nothings into his ears.

"Sora…"

And he wondered if he would ever heal.

**xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx**


	4. the job

uhm, sorry for the delay. i hope you enjoy this chapter. it's less of riku angsting over sora, and more plot. be thankful and please leave a review.

**Dearly Departed**

By Monday Sora had broken free from his annoyance of Riku's lack of communication. Instead of constantly being reminded of his boyfriend's absence, he was plagued by a lingering lump of nerves in his stomach—namely fear. Not fear that Riku was dead (because who would think that right off the bat, message or not) but dread that Riku wanted their relationship to be _over_—fear that Riku had skipped town to end the relationship and sever all ties with his once best friend. The mere thought caused Sora's stomach to plummet. He couldn't afford to lose Riku, not now and not ever. This all just had to be a sadistic joke. It just _had_ to be.

The constant ringing of the serve bell at the front counter caught Sora off guard. The dreary boy snapped from his dismal thoughts and back into reality instantly. He really needed to stop thinking about Riku during work. Regardless, his blue eyes wandered back to the front of the café. His gaze then locked with the customer's and he hurried over.

"Sorry," he interjected quickly, fixing his apron, "Welcome to Mocha's. How may I help you?"

The short, blonde female eyed the brunet worker for a long moment. Her thin lips parted, as if to speak, but then sealed themselves again. Trepidation was upon her. "It's okay," she finally answered, mirroring the smile Sora was giving her. "Um, I'll just have a small black coffee with two creams and two sugars. Nothing special."

"Sure thing."

Sora spun around. He quickly made his way over to the large coffee machine. With practiced skill, he grabbed a small cup from beside the machine, placed it under the nozzle, turned it on, and watched in amusement as the hot liquid began pouring out, steam flying everywhere. The smell of the coffee intoxicated him. The ironic thing was, Sora _hated_ coffee.

"You're Sora, right?"

The brunet paused as the machine ended its cycle, filling the cup up almost all the way. He glanced over his shoulder at the blonde, confusion drenched in his eyes. "Yeah, that's me. Do you happen to know me?"

The girl smiled to herself and lowered her gaze. "No wonder he misses him so much," she whispered under her breath. She flicked her gaze back up to Sora moments after. "Saw your nametag," she explained as a soft giggle followed.

"Oh," Sora murmured.

The brunet turned back around, added the designated sugars and creams, and then reached for a lid to the coffee. Quickly, he snapped the black lid on and brought the steaming beverage over to the blonde. "Here," he offered, forcing another smile onto his lips. It paid to be polite, after all.

"Thanks," she responded.

The girl then began digging through her small, white purse for a five. Her slim fingers removed the bill and handed it across the counter towards Sora. "That should cover it," she began, snapping her purse shut, "keep whatever is left over."

Sora blinked in surprise. It was rare that people actually _tipped_ him. "Really? Thanks!"

The blonde teen smiled and took her coffee from Sora, her jovial expression never fading. However, after a few moments, she spoke again. "Would you care to sit down with me?" she wondered, caressing the cup carefully as she took a sip.

"Sure, why not," Sora laughed.

The brunet meekly hurried around the counter and into the small café sitting area. The two teens then proceeded to amble over to a vacant, window table on the left side of the small building. The female took her seat first, placing her bag and drink onto the table, covering it for the most part. Sora sat down moments later, uncertain as to whether or not he was expected to make conversation.

"Is it always this slow?" the blonde asked.

"Yeah," Sora sighed, leaning back in the chair as his hands shuffled into his apron pocket's. "I'm usually the only one that ever works this shift."

The blonde nodded and idly stirred her coffee. Vacillation flickered scarcely in her eyes—she was holding back precious information from the kind boy across from her. She smiled again and then stated, "It must get boring."

"It does," Sora admitted with a soft sigh. His hand rose and drifted through his brown locks of hair. "But usually my boyfriend comes to visit, though," a slight pause, "he hasn't come today…"

"What's he like?" the girl wondered, tilting her head to the right. Blonde bangs fell down onto her pale forehead, concealing her guilt-drenched eyes.

Sora took a deep breath, mustering up all the memories he had of the silveret. "He's perfect," he decided, a gorgeous smile leaking onto his lips. "He's beautiful….and kind…and just everything you want in someone. He's not only that, but he's my best friend."

Her heart visibly clenched. "He seems like a wonderful person, Sora."

"He is," the brunet agreed, his eyes glancing down at the table. _Then why did he leave me without explaining himself?...And why did he leave me that bizarre message? Riku, what am I to think? _"He truly is." _Regardless of what he's done_.

The blonde smiled at that response, gulping lightly. A small frown appeared for a brief moment before it was chased away by the upbeat feeling of the local café. "I'm Naminé, by the way," she stated, extending her slender hand across the table.

Sora snapped out of his melancholic thoughts and met her soft blue gaze. Quickly, he extended his hand as well and shook hers. "Nice to meet you," he said calmly.

"You too," Naminé responded, turning her attentions back to her coffee.

Sora leaned his chin into the gully his two palms made as he propped his elbows up on the table. "Do you think it's possible to fall in love with someone who's been your best friend forever?"

Naminé smiled faintly. "It's possible."

"Oh…" Sora lowered his gaze, cheeks a dark red. "Makes sense…"

"I don't want to intrude, but," she began, studying Sora's expression carefully, "are you in love with your boyfriend and haven't told him, by any chance?"

Sora blushed a darker red at Namine's statement. Nervously, he began twiddling his fingers as his foot tapped the floor beneath him. After a moment, the color faded from his face. "Is that why he left me?...Because he knew I was in love?..." He paled. "What if he didn't want love? Oh my god…"

His ramblings were unintelligent and thankfully incoherent. All the blonde got from that statement was one word.

"Left?" she repeated, blinking in surprise.

"It's nothing," Sora whispered, shaking his head. He quickly dispelled the unsettling thoughts and smiled wearily at Naminé. "I'm just being overly paranoid. It's a bad habit of mine I'm trying to break. I'm sorry," he apologized quickly.

"It's okay, we all get like that sometimes," Naminé reassured him with a soft, tender look. "Don't worry about it so much."

Sora laughed softly and glanced downward again. "You know, it's kinda of nice to have someone here to talk to other than Riku."

Naminé was once again surprised. "Well, it would seem so. I'd rather spend my time conversing with customers then standing behind a glum counter all day without having any fun." Her eyes glistened playfully behind thin blonde bangs.

Sora laughed yet again, rubbing the back of his neck. "You know, you just described what I do almost every single day. I just stand there, take orders, make the drinks and that's it. I haven't really encountered anyone, before you I mean, that wanted to talk just for the heck of it."

Naminé averted his gaze, chewing on her lip. "That's awfully sad."

"Tell me about it," the brunet groaned, shaking his head in disbelief. "They just their coffee quickly so they can get back to their fact-paced lives. Which I really don't understand. What's so great about the fast lane?"

"I wouldn't know," Naminé answered with a frown.

"Maybe I'll find out one day," Sora mused to himself, lowering his tanned hand from his neck. "Maybe one day I'll get a high-paying job that requires me to live life in the fast lane," he murmured optimistically, blue eyes twinkling briefly.

"Seems like a realistic goal," Naminé interjected, watching Sora with that continuous soft gaze, despite her brief frowns.

"Or maybe I'm just being a dreamer," the café worker wondered, stroking his chin contemplatively. "Oh well, I have my entire life. No need to rush." He leaned back and folded his arms to his chest. He just didn't know what to do with himself today, it seemed.

Naminé laughed softly and nodded to his words. "Yeah. We have our whole lives," she agreed.

And it was the start of a rather guilt-filled, deceitful friendship, but a friendship nonetheless. It was what Sora needed, and it was what Naminé wanted. She just didn't know how to put the completely different pieces of Riku and Sora together. How could two people, who once fit so perfectly, be so difficult to fit together? It baffled the blonde and she had only touched upon the surface of the pair's deep connection.

**xxx -**

Riku wasn't surprised that when he returned to work the following day, Naminé was not there yet. Nor was he surprised when his father's right-hand-man ushered him down the hallway and into his father's small, makeshift office—Riku was amazed that this warehouse even had an office. And the silveret wasn't even surprised when the blonde closed the door behind Riku, leaving the trio in an awkward silence. Riku knew what was coming; work.

"Riku," his father began, gesturing for his son to take a seat, "I have a favor to ask of you."

Riku unceremoniously took a seat and fixed his gaze on the silver-haired man. "A favor?" he repeated quirking a brow.

His father's lips parted hesitantly. "Yes, a favor," he reiterated, ignoring the scoff from the blond. "It involves a lot of research and investigating, so to speak."

"I'm not an investigator," Riku quipped. His gaze turned to the second man. "Nor am I a researcher…so what possible reason do you have for putting me on a job that requires both?" He arched a brow, appearing scandalized.

A groan dripped from his father's lips. "I don't want to put you into any direct danger, Riku. Fieldwork would be dangerous and I just don't feel the need to put my only son in harm's way. Therefore, I feel that investigating and digging around on a few things would be exponentially better."

Riku's expression dropped. "So you'll put _other_ people out on _real_ jobs? What? Are their lives less important than mine?"

"You're missing the point," his father interrupted, his voice rising, "they're far more experienced than you. They have backgrounds. They have _pasts_, Riku. You don't."

Riku stiffened. "So you're basically telling me that I'm just an errand boy, right?" He lifted his gaze and stared emptily at his father, appalled that he was on the verge of tears. "I gave up a life with Sora to be your _errand_ boy?"

The older silveret covered his eyes with his hands, grunting tirelessly. "You're missing the point entirely, Riku. You're not an errand boy, you're my son. I want to start you off small—I did that with everyone. I just don't want you doing something that a trained assassin or spy _should_ do. Riku, some of the people here are retired FBI agents. They know what they're doing. You're young."

Riku bit his lip. He swallowed and averted his gaze, lacing his hands in his lap. "So what's my job exactly?" he murmured, a slight amount of defeat entering his voice.

"Sephiroth, are you going too—" the blond began but was cut short when Riku's father began speaking.

"I'm going to state this bluntly. I think there's a full-fledge conspiracy going on with the CIA and the president."

Riku cocked a brow. "What?" he repeated brusquely. "The _president_? "

Sephiroth's brow furrowed. "That's what I said. Did I stutter?" he remarked tritely.

Riku sighed and placed his hand straightforwardly onto his father's desk. "Listen," he began, his tone harsh yet reasoning, "I know you guys are dedicated to investigating things going on in our country, and I totally respect that. I'm all for the cancer research and that stuff…but the president? This isn't Nixon, dad."

Sephiroth didn't seem fazed. "It happened before and it can happen again. We suspect that the president is doing some dirty-dealing with China."

Riku's hand slid off the desk and curled up into white fists. "Excuse me? Elaborate, please."

"We don't know much, but apparently we've received word from an anonymous tipster that the president has been wiring unknown funds over to the country. Money that just appeared out of nowhere. We're afraid that he's abusing the system and stealing from our pockets," Sephiroth explained clearly, his voice steady and monotonous.

"Not _everyone_ documents where every single dollar goes. You should know that," Riku interjected reasonably. His brows furrowed together as hesitation dripped from his lips, causing the air around the three men to become incredibly stiff.

"We're not talking thousands, or even millions, Riku. We're talking two billion dollars that isn't accounted for," his father enunciated. The man then proceeded to lean back in his chair, allowing silver tresses of hair to pool over his shoulder and onto his nicely curved back. His feet propped up on the desk moments later as a sound of aggravation left the man's lips.

"Do you actually believe him?" Riku demanded dryly, turning around in his seat to stare at Cloud as his nostrils flared. When he was greeted with a stern nod, his jaw dropped. "You people are _crazy_. What evidence do you have against the _president_?"

"I wish you weren't so skeptical," Sephiroth muttered as he sat back up again. "The evidence is your job, Riku. Before we do anything rash, I want you to do research here. If you come up with anything solid I'll personally see to it that you get a first-class trip to the capital."

Riku watched his father's expression, waiting on baited breath to hear the sarcasm. When he didn't, his hope faltered and he smoothed back his hair apprehensively. He then cleared his throat awkwardly. "Dad, you've committed your life to conspiracies…" he began.

"I'm aware of that," Sephiroth answered stiffly. He raised one hand up imperiously. "I enjoy exploiting the truth. What's your point?"

"What happens if all of this falls through? What happens if all of this is a lie?" Riku questioned quietly. His fingernails absently dug into his thigh and his stomach in a ball.

"Then I'll find something new to prove," his father answered with edgy patience. "Either take this case or just leave all together, Riku. You're my son, but I'm not going to pay favorites. Either you help us, or you leave us."

Riku stiffened, visibly defeated. "Give me the folder," he mumbled, nudging his head in the general direction of the manila folder on Sephiroth's desk he had spotted earlier.

Sephiroth gladly snatched the case folder and slid it across the table towards Riku. "Don't bring it out of the building. I know it's your case now, but I don't want wandering eyes to see its contents." He gave the paper a gentle tapping with his large thumb and then retreated, a smirk rolling onto his defined lips.

"I understand," Riku said, taking the folder with care. "I'll begin researching it right away."

The silveret got up and made his way towards the door. However, before he could leave, the blond man gently grabbed ahold of his shoulder. He turned Riku to his general direction and stared him sternly in the eye, as if sizing him up. Riku cocked a brow acridly.

"What?" the youth demanded under his breath.

"This is a very important issue, Riku. Don't take it lightly," he muttered, his hard blue gaze resting solely on the teen. "You're the only one in the entire country looking into this. Don't blow this off."

Riku scoffed a bit. "I feel like that detective from the damn Watergate story. Woodward," he pointed out tritely.

"Then where's your Bernstein?" the blond wondered sardonically, glimpsing down the vacant hall that connected to the office they were in. He looked back to Riku, as if expecting a reasonable answer.

Riku's gaze hardened to that of a diamond. "He thinks I'm dead."

The humor left the room through the open door.

**xxx -**

"Do you want another drink?"

Sora got up and lingered by Namine's table. His tanned hand rested on the oval tabletop as he watched the pretty blonde dig into her purse with limber fingers. The feeling of affinity lingered in the air, continuing to engulf the pair. It was amazing how two people that just met could find so much to talk to about. In fact… Naminé peered down at her cell phone and blinked in surprise at the time. Three block letters read the time; four.

"Wow, I didn't know it was so late," she stated with a soft, embarrassed laugh. "But yeah, another drink would be nice. Could you make me an iced tea lemonade, please?" She began digging through her purse for a few bills.

"It's on the house," Sora assured her. He smiled at his new friend and hurried behind the counter. The brunet made the requested drink briskly and soon after resumed his seat across from Naminé. He passed her the drink and continued smiling brightly, illuminating the room.

"Thank you," she said with a tender smile. "Now, where were we?"

"Hm…" Sora tapped his head thoughtfully. "Oh! We were talking about that nightclub down on Weston street!"

"Oh yeah," Namine answered with a knowing nod. "You said you've never been, right?" Nod. "Then why don't you bring your boyfriend sometime?" A hesitant shake. That meant no. "Why not?" Her tine brooked no refusal. However, Sora was doing just that.

"Namine, we've gone through this," Sora began hesitantly, adjusting his position in the chair, "we don't really have that open of a relationship. Had…" he corrected himself a bit gloomily. "We barely kissed. It was a new relationship. It is." He held his head in confusion. Should he be speaking in past tense or present? Was it over? Did Riku _want_ it to be over?

"Oh," Naminé said, blinked, and nodded. "I'm sorry for bringing that up. I was just curious." A guilty blush appeared on her pale cheeks. The girl quickly sipped her new drink and pretended to be focused on her own thoughts.

Sora sat with his hands resting on the arms of the cheap café chair and looked longingly out the window to a spot where he and Riku had once stood. That was before the confession. That was before Sora had the courage to kiss the beautiful silveret. The memory brought Sora's stomach to a rumbling storm.

"If I'm not intruding…can you tell me about how you and your boyfriend met? I'm curious."

"Hm…" Sora blinked in surprise but then lifted one of his immobile hands to his forehead. He scratched his scalp thoughtfully. "I can't remember the exact details," he admitted sheepishly. He directed a brief, nostalgic glance to the spot outside the café once more as he attempted to conjure up his earliest memory of Riku.

"Take your time," Namine stated, smiling constantly at him. Behind her mascara covered eyelashes were bright blue eyes drenched with guiltiness. She abhorred the fact that she had to lie to the poor, lovesick boy.

"I do remember one distinct memory," Sora began, "I'm not sure if it was the first time we met, but I remember nonetheless." He smiled warmly. "It's…kinda long, though."

"That's all right," Naminé answered, sipping her drink. She made an encouraging hand gesture. "Go on."

"Well…"

**xxx -**

_I think it was fifth grade. I had just switched into a new school system and it was my first day. I was…nervous, as you could expect. All I could think about was whether or not the students were going to like me or hate me. I was so worried the entire ride to the middle school. My stomach was in a knot and I couldn't keep the troubling thoughts off my mind. I used to dwell on things, a lot, and I still do. But back then, it was far worse. It consumed me._

_When my mom dropped me off at school, and when I finally found my correct classroom, I was relieved when people greeted me with warm smiles and welcomes. It was one of the biggest reliefs of my life. When you're that young all you really want is acceptance. I got that and the day seemed to radiate brightness automatically._

_At lunch, there was one particular person who stuck out to me. He sat at the end of one of the long tables that was assigned to my classroom. He ate in complete silence and isolation. Considering that no one else had asked me to sit with them, I automatically took it upon myself to sit with the boy._

"_Hi," I stated quietly, taking a seat beside the young silveret. His emerald eyes danced off his lunch and over to me. A beautiful pair of aquamarine eyes met mine and I fell silent, as if I was already being judged and analyzed._

"_You're the new student, right?" he asked. His voice was soft and serious. _

"_Yeah. My name's Sora," I offered with a smile. My smile grew when the other boy returned it with an equally brilliant smile. "What's yours?" I dared to ask._

"_Riku," he answered, his gaze never once leaving mine. I'm pretty sure he was trying to figure out why my hair was such a mess or why I was so skinny. Or maybe he just wanted to get to know me better. I didn't really know._

"_Why are you sitting alone?" I questioned, opening up a small brown bag that contained my own lunch._

"_By choice," he explained nonchalantly, taking a chip from a bag. "I like eating alone because it gives me time to think."_

"_About?" I wondered, tilting my head to the side. Most kids jumped at the chance to socialize at lunch._

"_Things in general. Fantasies," he explained, his sea-green eyes twinkling. He glanced back at me and offered a smile. "But I don't mind you sitting with me. You seem nice. Plus, it'd be rude to turn someone down."_

_I nodded in agreement. "If you want to be left alone, I—"_

"_No, you can stay," Riku stated, cutting me off. The silveret then proceeded to reach for his chips and present me with the bag. "Have one, if you want."_

"_Thank you," I answered, a small amount of red appearing on my cheeks. "Wanna be friends?"_

_He grinned. "Of course." And it was the single most beautiful thing I had ever seen before in my life._

**xxx -**

Naminé smiled. "That's sweet," she stated, watching Sora with a glimmer of entertainment in her eyes. _So they both remember the first day they met…just differently. _She sighed and laid her chin into her folded hands. It was simply breathtaking the relationship the two boys shared. It hurt her, deep down, to know that Riku's father was the reason for this sudden separation.

Sora, who was still blushing, lowered his gaze. "I know, as a stranger, you may think the story's kinda stupid…but if you knew Riku and I, you'd probably die laughing."

Namine nodded understandingly. "I bet I would." She smiled again. "Thank you for telling me the story. It's really sweet."

"No problem. Thanks for listening," Sora returned. And oddly, reliving his earlier memories of Riku seemed to lessen the pain. Just remembering the good times seemed to block away the bad ones, if only for a few brief moments.

"I'm sure he doesn't want the relationship to be over," Naminé interjected. "I'm sure he's juts busy or confused or caught up in something. Just don't lose faith, Sora. Doing that would be the worst thing possible."

The brunet chuckled uneasily, hiding his broken gaze. "You talk as if you know the future," he stated quietly.

Namine winced. "I wouldn't call it that…" She trailed off, not wanting to say anymore. "If you ever want to talk about him, I'm up for it. I usually come here every other day, so I'll make it a point to stop in when you're working. You're a nice guy, Sora."

The brunet blushed the slightest. "Thank you, Naminé. You're a wonderful listener and it was a great pleasure meeting you."

"You're too sweet," she giggled softly. She was about to continue but a voice interrupted.

"Sora, get back to work!" his manager hollered from behind the counter. "There's a flood of customers waiting to be served. You've had a long enough break!" she yelled hoarsely as she continued filling orders.

Sora winced and quickly got to his feet. "Sorry for cutting this short, Naminé. But duty calls," he laughed apprehensively, "I'll see you again soon, right?"

She nodded. "Of course."

"Sora!" his manager hollered again, her brows furrowing together.

"Gotta go! Have a nice day, Naminé!" Sora added quickly before snagging his apron from the back of the chair. He slipped it on with catlike grace and disappeared behind the counter in a flash.

Naminé smiled softly and lowered her gaze. _I hate fate sometimes._

**xxx -**

Riku groggily sifted through the plethora of case papers. The myriad attacked him, consumed him, and left him with a horrible headache. It was around ten and half of the underground operation had departed for their homes. Riku was one of the unlucky ones who remained at his small desk, in the corner of the expansive room. His eyes remained glued drowsily on the papers that contained information his father and other workers had gathered. Most of the words just seemed like words that had no meaning attached to them. They were just simple words scribbled across endless sheets of paper.

"This isn't making any sense," Riku mumbled as his gaze trailed across a statement from someone. They were basically saying that when the president was a senator, he had a similar gas of unaccounted for money. Riku really didn't get what the person was trying to say, though.

"What does he expect me to find?" the silveret muttered, flipping the paper over and moving on. However, when he did such, his gaze came across something amazingly interesting. "What?"

_On April Ninth, Two Thousand Eight, The president took a trip to Asia, without purpose. The men of the whitehouse covered for him, claiming that he was in important meetings in the Oval office all morning. No further information is available at this moment._

The handwriting changed.

_I asked her what she meant by this, and she wouldn't give me anymore information. Her name was Carli Mathers, a wife of one of the president's right-hand men. Don't overlook her claim. Check into it._

The statement ended and Riku quirked a brow. His man began scrambling to place the handwriting with someone he knew. It wasn't his father's, and for all he knew, it wasn't the blond's from earlier. So whose was it? Riku continued staring at the paper for a long while.

"Carli Mathers," he repeated, his agile fingers holding the paper carefully. "That seems like a good place to start," he decided.

A satisfied look crossed his face as he placed the paper on the corner of his desk for safekeeping. He then went on to sift through some more papers. However, after a few moments, he paused, fingers ceasing all movement. Aquamarine eyes stared down at a simple picture slapped onto the corner of a paper. He knew the person in that picture. In fact, he knew them really well. Riku's lips parted in confusion and he brought the sheet of paper to the front of the stack and stared down at it. He knew that man. He… When his gaze wandered across the name of the man, a sinking feeling floated in his gut.

Under the man's picture were a few suspicions scribbled in the same handwriting that the other paper had been in. Apparently this man was the retired head of finance in the Whitehouse, or something along those lines. But it really wasn't the status or claims that got Riku. It was his name.

"Sora's uncle," Riku murmured dryly, fingering the picture. No matter what he did, he couldn't get away from that _boy_.

Riku lounged back in his chair, holding the paper delicately. His gaze locked with the printed gaze of the man's and he fell silent. "I never thought I'd have to see you again…" He averted his gaze, sighed, and placed the picture back now. He closed his eyes soon afterward and sucked in a shaky breath.

If it came down to _having_ to see Sora's uncle, things weren't going to go over well. But, all in all, no matter what the silveret did to try and keep himself away from the beautiful brunet he loved, things just kept coming back to him.

"Riku?"

Riku nearly fell off his seat when he heard his name uttered. Quickly, as if he had reason to hide the papers, he spun around in his chair and slammed a folder down on top of the confidential files. His gaze was flustered and rather melancholic.

"Namine," Riku breathed in relief, settling down. His heart rate didn't though. "You scared me."

"Just came to say goodnight," she answered simply, tossing Riku a soft look. "I talked to Sora today, by the way. He's a really sweet guy."

Riku winced and nodded. "The sweetest there is." And once again, he just couldn't escape him.

"Yeah…" Naminé trailed off, noting how reluctant Riku was to speak about such matters. Wearily, she turned to the right. "Well, I have to go. I have to be in early tomorrow and I need some rest. Goodnight."

"Night," Riku returned, rubbing his forehead. He waved her off and then slammed his head gracefully down onto his desk. A loud thud echoed afterwards and he sat in complete silence.

Carli Mathers…it'd have to start with her.


End file.
